Louis Moult has encouraged Dundee United’s young talents to take inspiration from Brandon Forbes’ impressive debut against Ayr United.
The 18-year-old Forbes made an immediate impact by scoring a stunning free-kick shortly after coming off the bench, securing a crucial 2-1 victory. This win kept United’s hopes of progressing in the Premier Sports Cup alive, with the outcome likely to hinge on goal difference in a tightly contested Group B.
Moult, an experienced player, praised the current crop of young players, including Owen Stirton, Lewis O’Donnell, Samuel Cleall-Harding, and Scott Constable, who have all been part of the first-team setup during pre-season.
He emphasized the importance of using Forbes’ performance as motivation, recalling his own experiences of being driven by the achievements of peers during his early career.
“The academy we have here has been successful in the past and there are a couple who are really knocking on the door and can help us this season,” Moult said. “All the young players here need to take [Forbes’ impact] as motivation.
I remember coming through as a kid and watching someone just ahead of me in the pecking order coming on and taking the game by the scruff of the neck. You’ve got to use that to drive yourself on and push hard.”
Forbes, who excelled with United’s U/18s last season, has seamlessly transitioned to senior football, demonstrating his potential and maturity. Moult commended Forbes’ technique and confidence, particularly his ability to score from a free-kick that caught the opposition goalkeeper off-guard.
“If it was in the first half, then I’d probably have wanted to take it. But I was blowing in the second half! I thought, ‘that’s a bit far out’. I don’t think I would have reached the goal,” Moult admitted.
“He has looked brilliant all pre-season and deserves that reward. I’m buzzing for him. The biggest compliment I can give him is that he looks fearless. You saw that with the way he stepped up to take that free-kick.”
As United prepare to face Buckie Thistle, Moult stressed the importance of securing a decisive victory to improve their goal difference. United are tied on points with Falkirk but need to close a three-goal gap to ensure progression from the group stage.
“I think the Falkirk game came a little too early for us. We would have liked to play them in the last game of the group, but I’m not going to make any excuses for that result. It wasn’t good enough and we need to try to correct it. I think we have done that, up to now. But we can still be better on the ball, for sure, and will look to implement that against Buckie.”
Moult’s comments highlight the blend of experience and youthful energy within the squad, providing a positive outlook for the future of Dundee United.
